


design flaw

by VVSmydiamonds



Category: NCT (Band), SuperM (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Androids, Bittersweet Ending, Gen, More tags will be added as the story progresses, NOT a romantic pairing, Post-Apocalypse, Tendery, ai!yangyang, android!hendery, android!kun, android!xiaojun, but not really rip, hendery is just trying his best, kinda angsty, platonic, ten is so pure, this is actually decent, trust me - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-09
Packaged: 2021-02-01 04:24:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21376240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VVSmydiamonds/pseuds/VVSmydiamonds
Summary: hendery never once thought he’d meet a living creature.  in fact, he didn’t know such a thing existed.  but when the security camera outside his repair shop blinked rapidly, he knew something was not quite right.  a robot never shows up on its own; they’re programmed to always come in pairs.  but this one.. it wandered.  it seemed confused and - wait, that’s a construction zone over there!
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Qian Kun/Wong Kun Hang | Hendery
Comments: 5
Kudos: 11





	1. • 00 •

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> — this will also be cross-posted on wattpad!

The scorching heat wasn't the only reason he was sweating so profusely. He gracelessly wove between trees, only stopping and sharply turning when he came across a construction zone. There was no way out of this hellhole. Every turn, every pause, every breath - something was there, not too far behind.

The boy rounded a corner too quickly, an action he should've been more mindful of. Stumbling over an unusually large tree root, the hand that clutched his open wound flung off of his stomach to a piece of bark to find purchase.

Where was he? And why were the trees spinning, closing in on him, then backing away? Why was the ground swaying so harshly?

Why did his head hurt?

Legs giving out on him, he soon found himself facing the overcast sky. The sound of footsteps followed by snapping twigs in the distance drew nearer and nearer with each passing moment.

The boy held his breath. It was a last resort to stay hidden, though, in the end, it proved to be utterly useless. Silence didn't matter when his cream-colored sweater and trousers stood out against the rich browns and earthy greens of the forest.

The footsteps drew closer. Blood soaked into his sweater. The swaying in his head began to slow. His hand crept back to the wound, but stopped on the soil beside him; he was tired.

Then it was quiet.

He could barely keep his eyes open as a pair of unfamiliar arms whisked him away. His head dipped forward, his breathing becoming labored and strained, as blood trickled down his chin from his now gaping mouth. The boy just couldn't allow himself to give in; not when he only made it this far. 

He weakly sputtered incoherent nonsense, more blood leaking from his mouth. What the boy assumed were two fingers lifted his chin up and guided his head to rest between the junction of where the other's neck and shoulder met. 

The stranger did not reply. If the small male had not been slipping in and out of consciousness, he would have panicked. But he was calm. He wanted to get away--it was all he ever wanted to do after he was taken--but he couldn't will himself to move. It was relaxing, being taken care of for a change.

The drill in the distance gradually faded away as he was met with the soft rustle of leaves. He shivered as a breeze blew through his hair, gently rocking his matted, black bangs.

A bird sang in the distance - a sound the male almost forgotten. Anything other than the incessant whirring and clacking of mechanical arms was music to his ears.

He breathed. The being continued walking.

The boy's head dropped further, the tips of his hair pickling his dark eyelids.

Another bird sang. Soon, there was a chorus.

The taste of metal was strong against his tongue. The warm liquid continued to leak out of the corner of his mouth.

Succumbing to fatigue, his eyes closed; his heart slowing.

Maybe this wasn't a bad way to go.


	2. • 01 •

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> — feedback is greatly appreciated! please don’t be afraid to comment :3

Kunhang set the specimen on the table. Its fan was still running, but it hadn't stopped leaking. The flow had gradually changed from profusely spilling to a more gradual trickle by the time they arrived to his workshop. He furrowed his brow as he searched his database on how to repair a leaking tube.

_Apply pressure, then locate the valve to seal it_.

The bot pressed his hand against the gash, frowning when the red liquid coated his freshly-disinfected fingertips.

"Yangyang," he called, removing his hand temporarily to shake the substance off.

"Yes, Kunhang?" the voice replied in question. "What can I help you with?"

"Scan him." Kunhang eyed the red-stained attire, then glanced at his fingertips. "What is this?"

A cap in the ceiling popped open and a slender probe with a camera on the tip glided down. Its rectangular head glistened under the fluorescent lights as it faced Kunhang. The lense focused on the robot for a moment before nodding and turning to what Kunhang brought in.

The cam blinked - _standby _\- and zeroed in on the dripping tear. A blue point hovered over the foreign substance, then dimmed the room's lights down until it was nightfall. Yangyang even made sure to turn the stars off.

The point of light expanded into a triangular formation as the probe scanned it from the head to its toes.

Kunhang watched silently, unsure of what he brought in. He was used to finding broken bots and taking them in, but this one wouldn't wake up. It wasn't shut down (meaning it _had _to be asleep), but there were still issues. Were its warning systems down? Nothing was blinking nor whirring. Was he an old model?

"Scan complete." Yangyang beeped, stopping the examination. A tab popped up beside the camera, displaying an interactive screen so Kunhang could read the camera's findings.

He scrolled through the tab, shaking his head when nothing useful came up. "Yangyang, what is this?"

"Blood."

"Blood? What... what is Blood?"

Kunhang paused. He pulled up an image and zoomed in on it off to the side. It appeared to be some sort of red-violet cavern with hovering shapes on the inside. They were red with small indentations in the center. If anything, they looked like velvety cushions.

"Blood is a naturally occurring liquid used to clear contaminants and carry oxygen throughout the body. It is a rare substance, less than 0.03% of bots require it."

Kunhang blinked, processing and storing the information before he overheated. The knowledge of Blood was not part of his initial program.

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment to cool off. He rubbed his brow between his thumb and forefinger and tucked his head in his shoulder. "Yangyang, what is his model?"

"I could bot find his model, but I did find a barcode along his left shoulder blade."

Kunhang opened an eye and examined the screen. In large letters, it read **TE96N02**.

A bot without a model.

"Thank you Yangyang. That's enough for today. You are dismissed."

Yangyang gave a nod and ducked back into the ceiling, turning the lights on to their original setting.

Kunhang sighed. He was beginning to overheat from the overload of information. It had already been rough bringing TE96N04 back from the forest (and filthy). It was bad enough he also had to buckle its limbs and neck to the table because he couldn't find the kill switch.

He looked at the creature for a moment. He still struggled to understand what it was doing near the construction zone. The city issued a warning to stay inside. TE96N04 was outside. Kunhang was inside, but it was also his job to repair.

Kunhang rested his hand on its wrist. He felt something unusual. Instead if a continuous flow of bodily fluids, it was issued in pumps. He pressed harder, and the thumping become stronger. Carefully, he trailed his fingertips up TE96N04's arm, down his shoulder, and to his chest.

It was there the beating was steongest. It wasn't directly centered behind the sternum, but a bit to the left. He lowered his head and gently set it over the source of noise.

Kunhang looked toward its chest as he listened, checking for any detectable movement. When there was none, he closed his eyes and listened.

It was constant. It never flitted or hiccupped, stopped or slowed - it just remained the same.

Only when TE96N04 stirred did Kunhang remove himself.

Calling it a day, the robot put a blue, felt cover over TE96N04 and made his way to his charging port. The took the plug-in off the hook and lined it up with his neck. But before Kunhang could insert it, a strange noise elicited from the table TE96N04 lied on.

He set the cable back on its hook and walked back over to his examination table. Its skin was a tint lighter than when he last saw him, which was barely two minutes ago. Its fan was working differently. It was inconsistent - drawing air in quick, short puffs, then long drags. The chest cavity rose and fell sporadically. TE96N04's hair was matted and clung awkwardly to his damp forehead.

Kunghang pulled up a stool and sat at its bedside. He didn't want to waste any more battery than he had to. TE96N04 was a new project that needed to be completed. Kunhang was ready to accept the task. After all, it was his job. What good is a bot that can't do the job it was designed to do?

He uncapped his index finger, the tip swinging back on his hinge and bouncing against his knuckle. The robot turned the light on its brightest setting and opened a drawer under the table. He glanced down and pulled out a pair of clothing shears. He lined the blades up with the center of its shirt and began to cut the fabric. Small fibers cling to its clammy skin - which, again, was something Kunhang hadn't the slightest bit of knowledge of. He'd never even heard of a robot that persperatied.

After brushing the cream-colored fuzz away, he opened the soiled clothing, and spread the ends to the sides; much the way a butterfly spreads her wings. He disconnected the joint from his index finger to his palm and held the flashlight between his lips. Kunhang uncapped his middle and index fingers of his left had, revealing a small blue flame and an equally small, completely sanitized, scalpel (respectively, of course).

He tucked a finger under the skin, gently tugging it up so he could locate the problem. He heard a quiet rip. Panicking, he did his best to set the skin down. It was caught in a joint under his fingertip. He couldn't bend his digit back without digging his nail into TE96N04's innards, nor could he tug his hand away without ripping the skin further.

But before he could come up with a third option, a shrill cry resounded through the room. Kunhang tore are from the specimen and covered his ears to save his microphones. He dropped to the floor, curling to a ball and using his knees to secure his hands. He was thankful the Creator enabled a feature to automatically cap his fingertips whenever there was danger. If the program didn't exist, he himself would need to seek out a mechanic. 

The table shook against the robot's shoulder. He peered up, then did his best to formulate a plan. TE96N04 was still shrieking - another rare occurrence - and it was thrashing against its restraints. Kunhang stood, carefully examining the creature. He went unnoticed for under 10 seconds. And within the time frame, he uncapped his index finger to reveal a small drill. If the specimen couldn't shut down for Kunhang to work on, he'd have to take him apart.

This action, however, only made TE96N04 panic even more.

"Get away from me!" it cried, tugging even harder against the leather. It stared up at him, mouth agape and eyes wide. Its fan seemed shaky, seeing as it worked harder as time went on. Its brows were raised, creating creases along its forehead. It swallowed. Was it going to say something?

Kunhang took a step closer. The thing erupted into another fit. He couldn't understand it. The thing seemed to have calmed down, then it spazzed out. Did it contract a bug? Is a circuit board fried?

"TE96N04," he spoke, pressing down on its abdomen to keep it still. The specimen released a softer, shakier noise. Its bottom lip trembled and its eyes seemed brighter. Then they began to leak. First from the left eye, then to the right eye. Its nose and cheeks reddened. Then the _nose _started leaking, though it wasn't as profuse as the others. "What is your serial number? If you do not know it, where is the number located?"

The specimen stared up at him. Kunhang sighed, his gaze unwavering. "TE96N04, do you understand?"

A small noise came from the back of its throat. It stayed quiet for a while before speaking: "It hurts... my stomach, please -" It drew in a sharp breath, then another. It let its head go slack against the white table. "- hurt..."

"Hurt?"

It nodded. Kunhang didn't know what to do.

"Yangyang!" he called, keeping his attention on TE96N04. "Define _hurt._" 

"Hurt," the probe repeated. "Adjective; physically injured. Verb; to cause harm. Noun; physical injury, harm."

"But _what _is it?"

"I cannot help you with your question. Please review these other resources." A tab opened, then dropped down with a long list of links.

"Yangyang, now is not the time." He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment to stop in-taking _some _information. "Thank you, you are dismissed."

"Yangyang..?" the specimen spoke, gently tilting his head to face Kunhang better.

"Yangyang. He's my C.A.T. Certified Assistant for Tasks." His eyes flicked to the table. "You look paler. Let me seal your tear."

Before TE96N04 could speak, Kunhang had already uncapped a select few fingertips. Lo and behold, it was yet again _another _action that issued short-circuiting.

On a low battery and not processing potential actions properly, Kunhang gritted his teeth and slammed a hand down on the specimen's chest. It was the only way to keep him still, the coding reasoned.

He leaned down to examine the gash, only to freeze. Under his hand, the once steady beat was now erratic. It felt like a humming bird had been trapped in its chest cavity.

Kunhang backed off, stumbling into a desk at the foot of the table and knocking a grey toolbox to the ground.

He looked at his hand, then to the table. A red stream was flowing down its ceramic-like skin, leading to a small puddle at its side.

"You're... leaking. Is it Blood?"

It sputtered. Its fan sounded like it was trying to force debris out of its lungs.

"Your eyes are leaking, too. Are your cameras dirty?"

The specimen didn't reply. Kunhang thought the battery finally died. Carefully, he approached it. He crept around the table to a shelf cornered between the table and a wall before ducking down to a cabinet below. The felt blanket lied on the floor next to him as he searched. Turning on his flashlight, he poked around the containers and soon found what he was looking for.

"If it won't let me seal it with heat, then I will sew it."

He opened the leather pouch, examining the tools he uncovered. Everything was dull with a thin layer of dust. Hesitantly, he lifted his shirt and felt along his back for a button. Kunhang's finger flitted over the small indentation on his twelfth rib.

He pressed the button, earning a small click. The air-tight seal over his stomach hissed and a compartment was opened. He tucked the hem of his shirt under his chin and set the leather in his stomach. The feeling of being full was foreign, but the contraption had its uses. He shut the small door, the seam barely visible along his abdomen, and opened a keypad on his wrist. 

_Disinfect. Open when done._

Kunhang let go if his shirt. He looked back to TE96N04, then went to his computer. With just a wave of his hand, up popped a blue, translucent screen. _Yangyang, _it read in the corner opposite of the tabs.

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a second. When they reopened, a page that described stitching was on display.

The compartment door popped open. Kunhang pulled out what the file claimed was a scalpel.

"This had better be correct."

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I'M SO EXCITED TO WRITE THIS STORY TBH AS OF NOW (OCT. 5, 2019) I DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A PLOT IN MIND, I JUST WANTED TO WRITE TENDERY SO IF YOU COULD, PLEASE GIVE ME FEEDBACK/CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. I'D GREATLY APPRECIATE IT! HAPPY READING!! 💖💕💞


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